Clear as day
"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
Days are gifts. Nowadays, they seem to go by at an alarming rate. Everyone with whom I bring up this observation seems to share the same sentiment as observed for themselves. And each day bears its unique imprint. One day differs from another and not just in name only. Forgive me for stating these obvious things, but I believe that in order for us to be on the same page, we need to realize something: namely, that while we've had innumerable days in our past and while we may not have innumerable days going forward, each day should be cherished and lived to the fullest. Each one is a cause for celebration and gratitude towards the Lord.
"Teach us to number our days" (Psalm 90:12)
Moses said this. I'm not sure when he penned this Psalm but his days certainly were numbered after he struck the rock a second time. I mean no disrespect in pointing this out because Moses was--without a doubt--God's man of the hour and he got the job done. The truth is, everyone's days are numbered by God and the way we begin to seize the day is to realize this fact: God made me. Maybe then Moses' exhortation begins to make a little more sense. If I was put here for a reason by someone with agency (i.e. God) then I'm not just here for self-realization and self-actualization. The simple fact that we go through a time where we don't know who we are in the existential sense—in my opinion—points to the fact that something's missing. And as Jesus said, "possess ye your souls with patience" (Luke 21:19). If we began in and with God, wouldn't it be more important to spend our days getting to know Him and subsequently letting Him make us into and show us who we are? Who He created us to be? In shedding light on all these topics in one paragraph, I don't mean to downplay the importance of any of them. Please understand first that God loves you.
"Ye are all the children of light, and children of the day" (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
Paul said this, speaking of the day in an allegorical sense. He contrasted day with night, light with dark. Peter spoke of the "day star aris[ing] in your hearts" This is what happens when we begin to see Jesus as more than an historical figure, more than a character out of a dusty tome. And certainly more than an idealized person who bears more resemblance to us in our sinful state than the God from whom He came. Jesus is the "Ancient of Days" as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet (Daniel 7: 9, 13, 22) meaning that He "is and was and is to come" (Revelation 1:4). Rejoicing in Jesus through praise, worship, really any expression of love you feel like showing Him for who He is and what He's done for us is the way to realize Him. He more than deserves it.
David says something with reference to time in Psalm 39 (verse 5). He says "Behold, You have made my days as an handbreadth; and my age is as nothing before Thee". Essentially, this means that our life is in His hands. It may not be much compared to the time He's been alive (eternally) but we are in His hands, please remember this. I would rather be in the hands of God than, eternally existent without Him.
Death is part of the natural order of things. And in no way do I appeal for salvation based on that fact alone. God's "love is stronger than death" (Song of Solomon 8:6) but this doesn't mean that we shouldn't be mindful of its forthcoming reality. And it doesn't mean that we live out our days in a morbid fear of our own mortality. Whoever wrote Psalm 118 put it perfectly. They summed it up when they wrote to rejoice and be glad. Granted, because of Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, we have been given the gift of eternal life if we believe on and in Him. But this truth doesn't contradict what the writer of Hebrews was saying when they wrote that it was "appointed unto [us] once to die" (Hebrews 9:27). In fact, I am inspired to submit to God and His script for my days so that I will end up living them out to the letter as pleasing to the One who wrote me.